Midlife Career Change: Understanding Why You Want a New Job

If you’ve been feeling stuck, lost, or guilty about wanting a career change, this episode of The Career Change Studio is for you.

We dive into what it really means to find yourself at a career crossroads in midlife  and why it’s not a sign of failure, but of growth. You’ll learn why feeling disconnected from your job doesn’t mean you’re broken or directionless. Itt simply means you’ve changed.

Dana explores:

• Why so many professionals in midlife feel trapped in jobs that no longer fit
  
  
• The hidden stories we tell ourselves “I’m lost,” “I’m indecisive,” “I should have it figured out by now”
  
  
• How to release the guilt and shame around wanting something different
  
  
• The powerful truth that your values, priorities, and needs evolve… and that’s okay
  
  
• A simple reflection to help you reconnect with who you are now and what you truly want next

By the end, you’ll see your so-called “stuckness” for what it really is, a sign that you’re ready for your next chapter.

Connect with Dana:

Website: https://www.danastevens.com/workwithme
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dana_stevens_coach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danastevens1/
Free Coaching Consultation: https://calendly.com/danastevens/initial-coaching-chat

If this episode resonated, follow The Career Change Studio and share it with someone who’s feeling stuck in their career.

And if you’re ready to design a working life that truly fits your needs and lifestyle, book a free clarity call at https://calendly.com/danastevens/initial-coaching-chat

Special thanks to @Lou_Greenaway_Music for the piano composition and performance.

Transcript

I’m so glad you could join me today because I have something really important to talk to you about.

 I want to talk about why you’re at this career crossroads in your life and what it means about you - and the reason I want to do this is that you might be telling yourself all sorts of stories about what it means about you -making it mean something really unhelpful - telling yourself all sorts of stories and narratives -  - things like I’m just broken,  I’m directionless so that’s why I’m stuck here, other people seem to be coping so why can’t I, I should have changed years ago, I’m so indecisive that’s why I’m here and why I’ll never move forward, I’m just so lost - what is wrong with me?....

So if you’ve been feeling bad about wanting or needing to change careers this episode of the Career Change Studio is for you. 

Right now you might be feeling like you are going round and round in circles trying to decide what to do next - it might feel like this constant hum in the background of your life, it’s probably there when you’re working and when you’re not - meaning that you’re finding it hard to feel fully present even when you’re with family and friends

Or You might feel like you’re just stuck in a rut - you can’t see a way out. You feel stuck on the hamster wheel - going through the motions each day and not sure how to get off or change things up

You could be feeling like you fell into your job or career and because you never quite made an intentional decision about what to do, you don’t know how to create a change and it feels really OVERWHELMING

Or you might just be really struggling mentally, maybe you are feeling really burnt out - you don’t feel like you can take it anymore - you feel like the cracks are showing and it won’t be long before, if one more thing gets added to the weight you are carrying things might shatter irreversibly

I had a client say to me this week, what many clients have asked me “Do you think I’m having a mid life crisis? Is that what this is” It might feel like that way if you’re currently questioning everything.

And what I said to her, is true for anyone who is now standing at a career crossroads wondering how they got there - the answer is really simple.

YOU HAVE CHANGED.

That’s it. YOU. HAVE. CHANGED.

YOU ARE NOT BROKEN. YOU ARE NOT INCAPABLE. 

YOU ARE NOT SUDDENLY HAVING AN IRREPARABLE CRISIS.

YOU HAVE CHANGED AND YOU CAN NO LONGER IGNORE THE SIGNS.

WHO you are now, at this point in your life is different from who you were at the start of your career - or 10 years ago or 5 years ago or maybe even 1 year ago.

Your priorities and values are different. What you want and need from a job has changed from when you were starting out - from when you were in your 20s.

AND THAT’S OK.

We’re not meant to stay still and stagnant. We are meant to grow and develop and evolve.

This is a good thing (even if it might not feel like it right now, I promise you it is a good thing)

AND in the same way  that YOU have changes - the world has changed too. In all sorts of ways.

Chances are that your job or role has changed massively since you first started doing it. Some things will have improved and other things won’t have - but it is likely to be very different to the job you decided to move into or fell into

And chances are your  industry has changed too. Maybe it has been changing incrementally - little changes that seem gradual but if you stop and look back now - maybe it looks really different to when you started. Or your industry could have changed beyond all recognition.

So what you are doing now in your job or your industry might be really different from what you used to do.

So if your Job or industry no longer feels like a GOOD FIT and is no longer giving you what you WANT and need THAT IS OK. 

It is not because you have done anything wrong, or failed in some way or aren’t good enough anymore - it might simple be because YOU AND YOUR JOB ARE NO LONGER A MATCH

The reality is that you’re probably in a new season in your life and so you want or need different things - maybe in your twenties you wanted progression, rapid growth and excitement and now you might need more  flexibility for childcare or space to prioritise your mental health.

Or maybe now what you need is recognition after years of not feeling rewarded.

Or maybe you need more money to create the life you want.

Or maybe you are craving learning or intellectual challenge or  because you feel stagnant.

I want you to pause today, after this podcast and ask yourself this question

“Is my job/career a good match for what I want and need in this next chapter of my life”

And if the answer is no, I want you to decide right now, that you are not going to waste any energy layering on any blame and shame - I like to call them the blame and shame sprinkles  - 

Don’t waste any energy sprinkling any blame and shame sprinkles on to this realisation.

You don’t need to feel bad about it. You don’t need to feel mad about it.

Just treat yourself with compassion and start to get CURIOUS.

If this is no longer a match - no longer a good fit for me - WHY? What’s not working? What do I need more of? What do I want less of? What changes could help me live in the way I want or need to in my next chapter?

Start directing your time and energy in getting curious about WHY it’s no longer a match - but remember without the blame and shame sprinkles - they don’t need to be here.

I’m going to leave you to think about that

That’s all for today, Bye for now